British design studio Layer got down to deliver sustainability to mattress design in collaboration with Chinese language start-up Mazzu, making a modular, foam-free product consisting of fabric-covered springs.
The Mazzu Open mattress has been designed to have the consolation of a standard spring mattress, whereas being adaptable, repairable and simple to pack when shifting, in order to increase the lifetime of the product.
The design options row upon row of individually wrapped pocket springs in cloth, sandwiched between a base “matrix” and a padded topper to carry them in place.
![Image of a military green bed](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2024/01/layer-mazzu-open-mattress-design_dezeen_2364_col_5-852x480.jpg)
All of its parts are both recyclable or biodegradable, and no glue was used within the building of the mattress.
The construction – left open on the aspect for a particular, utilitarian look – additionally has the benefit of being hygienic, in accordance with the studio, as customers can examine the inside of the mattress and take it aside to wash every factor.
The modular design of the mattress means consumers can deal with springs like ‘pixels’, selecting from three ranges of firmness for every level within the matrix to create a help sample of their selection. This additionally permits couples to customise their very own aspect of the mattress.
![Exploded view of the Mazzu Open mattress, showing a base layer, a matrix layer, a layer of springs stacked into a mattress shape, and a padded top layer](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2024/01/layer-mazzu-open-mattress-design_dezeen_2364_col_6-852x480.jpg)
Further spring modules and a unique base and floor might be added to alter the dimensions of the mattress, and your complete package can compress to about 80% of its measurement when disassembled.
The mattress is available in a reusable packaging system, additionally designed by Layer, that sees it divided into small parts and divided into a number of cardboard containers, every weighing lower than 10 kilograms. Spring modules compress from 250 millimeters to 50 millimeters in peak as a part of it.
Layer founder Benjamin Hubert informed Dezeen that the studio tried to sort out a number of issues with present mattresses in a single go along with the Mazzu, from the lack to move them to the shortage of customization.
![Close-up of a bed with an open mattress of densely stacked fabric-covered springs](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2024/01/layer-mazzu-open-mattress-design_dezeen_2364_col_10-852x480.jpg)
“They’re too cumbersome when you unpack them they usually ‘bulge’ from their compressed transported type,” Hubert stated. “They comprise big quantities of froth, which is sort of not possible to recycle, and for essentially the most half, you may’t repackage them for storage or delivery.”
The studio needed to keep away from utilizing polyurethane foam, a typical mattress materials, as a result of along with being troublesome to recycle, it’s energy-intensive to provide and generates unstable natural compounds (VOCs) which are dangerous to well being.
The fabric is technically recyclable, however most mattresses do not make it to the restricted recycling amenities and are sometimes thrown away prematurely. Within the UK, for instance, round 6.four million mattresses are thrown away annually – round one for each ten individuals – and solely round 14% of them are recycled.
As a substitute of froth, the hourglass springs of the Mazzu Open mattress are wrapped in a two-tone 3D knit polyester sleeve. The opposite supplies used are metal for the springs, ABS plastic for the connection system and wool for the topper. Wool is biodegradable, whereas all different supplies are recyclable.
![Image of a spring with plastic connectors, and to the left of it, a textile-covered cylinder of the same size and shape](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2024/01/layer-mazzu-open-mattress-design_dezeen_2364_col_8-852x480.jpg)
Hubert describes Mazzu as “main the best way” in offering sustainable, high-performance bedding and says the businesses have labored collectively for 3 years in the course of the pandemic.
They went via many iterations of the mattress design throughout that point because the studio tried to discover a connection answer that was each easy and cozy.
“I should have tried about 20 totally different hookup methods,” Hubert stated. “We needed to discover an optimum measurement that could possibly be calibrated to suit all customary mattress sizes as nicely – not straightforward as there are many worldwide sizes.”
![Image of an open box storing a number of green discs, which are displayed in their cylindrical, easily hourglass shape, outside the box](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2024/01/layer-mazzu-open-mattress-design_dezeen_2364_col_18-852x479.jpg)
“The system needed to be extraordinarily cost-effective, utilizing the least quantity of elements and the only connection characteristic,” he continued. “The design of the connection programs modified dozens of instances as we examined energy, ease of use, noise and luxury – generally we had lots of of springs within the studio!”
Different latest designs from the London design studio have included sustainable canine toys for Canadian firm Earth Rated and a inexperienced hydrogen automobile retrofit system for US start-up Croft.
Mazzu and Layer launched the Mazzu Open mattress on the German furnishings truthful IMM Cologne, which passed off from January 14-18. Try the Dezeen Occasions Information for an up-to-date checklist of structure and design occasions taking place around the globe.